The coronavirus pandemic has seriously impacted the lives of many, and completely uprooted any sense of normalcy. In the U.S., New York City was one of the hardest hit cities with 1.36 million cases and over 42,000 lives lost since 2020, according to The New York Times. Mayor Bill de Blasio’s response to the COVID-19 crisis has been largely criticized, with critics claiming unclear direction and misinformation contributed to the rising rates (via the New York Post).
Former Real Housewives of New York star Barbara Kavovit is looking to change that in 2021 by stepping into the mayoral race. On Jan. 27, Kavovit announced that she was running for mayor of New York City after voicing her disapproval of the current mayor. Kavovit wrote, “I’m running for Mayor of #NYC because the city that I love, the city of opportunity where I built my business and my dreams, is in a state of crisis. It will take a builder to rebuild NYC, and I’m the woman to do it.”
Kavovit, who appeared on RHONY for one season, currently heads her own construction company called Evergreen Construction. According to its official website, the company motto is: “A business built on the foundation of integrity and experience,” which leaves fans wondering whether this will be mirrored in her upcoming campaign.
Barbara Kavovit's platform is all about rebuilding the city
Barbara Kavovit first hinted at her plan to run for mayor in a September 2020 interview with Page Six. Kavovit, who is a native New Yorker, shared her concerns around building a “safer and more inclusive” city. “I feel like the city is not a safe place. So if it’s not safe, people don’t want to come to New York City. People don’t want to stay in New York City,” she explained.
New York is considered one of the most diverse cities in the country, but research shows that there is a racial disproportionality in the amount of people of color who are stopped by the police versus white people (via ABC News). Long before her campaign announcement, the RHONY star has been outspoken on social media about racism and police brutality, and even committed to hiring people “who have been faced with inequality and need a leg up.”
Her campaign website also centers around police reform “with a community policing approach,” improving the economy by increasing the minimum wage, and revamping the education system. Although this is Kavovit’s first time in politics, it will be interesting to see how her platform grows come election time.
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